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Pelham family's Christmas display is 100,000 bulbs strong

By John Collins, jcollins@lowellsun.com

Updated:
12/21/2012 09:30:40 AM EST

The Sanzo family has put on an elaborate Christmas lights display for the past eight years, including five years at their former home in Salem, N.H., and the last three at 24 Mount Vernon Drive in Pelham. This year, the display includes 100,000 LED bulbs, the most ever. PHOTO CouRtesy Kendra Sanzo

The home Christmas lights display that Keith and Kendra Sanzo began putting up eight years ago, originally just to entertain their six children, has grown into a 100,000-bulb family tradition that draws viewers to their diligently decorated Pelham residence from as far away as Maine.

"It's quite a sight when you're outside looking at it," Kendra Sanzo said. "You can see the glow as you draw closer down the street. It's something we started off doing for our kids, and every year the collection just keeps growing bigger and bigger."

The Christmas lights are turned on each day at 3:30 p.m., and remain on until 11:30.

Keith and Kendra Sanzo of Pelham have enjoyed putting on an elaborate home Christmas-lights display for eight years. They began stringing up the lights in October. Courtesy photo

The Sanzos' entrance-path archway, trees, front door and vertical facing of the split-level house are covered with blinking red and green lights; the slanted roof is all blue lights. Also filling the front and side yards and adding to the visual magic are various plastic props and molds, and seasonal blow-up characters, including Santas, elves, reindeer, angels and snowmen.

The 100,000 energy-efficient LED light bulbs that illuminate almost every square inch of the 3,400-square-foot residence, represent a new record high, 15,000 more lights than last year, the couple said.

The Sanzos' home was featured recently on Boston's WCVB-TV as one of their top "must-see" home Christmas-light displays in the region.

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Their neighbors, friends and a constant stream of motorists seem to agree, Kendra Sanzo said. Many of the cars that stop outside their home have Massachusetts plates, she reported.

There is also a carload of yearly visitors from Maine.

"It's a family thing. With Keith as the patriarch, he really takes the lead in getting it all done," said Kendra, who spoke to The Sun on her husband's behalf Wednesday as he recovers from spine surgery.

"We love doing it and love the reactions we get from our neighbors, family, friends and visitors from out of state. It's really quite exciting."

Their six children -- Spencer, Brittany, Zachary, Kaylee, Aiden and Christian -- who range in age from 4 to 20, also pitch in by helping shop for LED lights and plastic molds at yard sales and retail stores that sell the items at bargain prices in the off-season, she said.

"We've been known to buy out Rite Aid and Walgreens after the Christmas season ends," Kendra said. "We really haven't had to pay full price for any of them."

Because the bulbs used are energy-efficient, the family's November and December electric bills have peaked at only $50 -- "only a few dollars more than normal," she said.

The Sanzo family of Pelham has put on an elaborate Christmas-lights display for the past eight years, including five years at their former home in Salem, N.H. and the last three at 24 Mount Vernon Drive in Pelham. This year, the display includes 100,000 LED bulbs, their most ever. Coutesy photo/Kendra Sanzo

The only other added expense was paying an electrician to install wiring for an extra 100 amps to power the lights, she added.

The Sanzos have lived in Pelham for two years. For six years before, they put up their Christmas display at their former home in Salem, N.H., also beginning in October.

"Our neighbors' comments have all been great," Kendra said. "They get a kick out of how we have to start to put it up so early in October, and they help spread the word, telling their family and friends to come see it when it's done."

Keith and Kendra Sanzo are both Lawrence natives who are employed by the IRS. Kendra said her husband got much inspiration to put up an annual Christmas display from a Methuen orphanage that years ago was known for covering its main residence hall with lights.

"As the reactions become more complimentary, Keith has become more inspired to keep adding to the collection, and makes it better every year," Kendra said. "The photos show pieces of it, but if you actually stand out there in person, there's a lot more to see."

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